Norway’s Attorney General expresses desire to introduce greater press restrictions

Attorney General (Riksadvokat), Tor-Aksel Busch, known for his expressed wish to get rid of the jury system, is of the opinion that lawmakers should consider making it illegal to publish leaked information that someone else has obtained by illegal means, reports Dagbladet. According to Dagbladet, Busch writes this in a letter to The Media Responsibility Commission (Medieansvarsutvalget) which was appointed by the Labor coalition government to come up with proposals for more extensive legal regulations of the media and bloggers.

Dagbladet also reports that Busch is also in agreement with the The Media Responsibility Commission’s view that there should be no legal restrictions on the police investigation of a leak.

Per Edgar Kokkvold, Secretary-General of the Norwegian Press Association, is very critial of the ideas aired by Busch. “It is very unfortunate. Today’s system works well. The consequences will be that people hesitate to go to the press with their information. Protection of sources is, and should be, close to absolute,” Kokkvold said to Dagbladet.

The editor of Nettavisen, Gunnar Stavrum, writes in an opinion piece that the Attorney General is mistaken when he wants to punish the media for publishing leaks and that this would be tantamount to state censorship:

“But today Attorney General Tor-Aksel Busch takes a dangerous step further: we believe one should look closer on whether it should be illegal for the media to redistribute information it has received by others having committed an illegal act of [someone's] duty of confidence, it comes from the State Attorney’s office.

“The proposal from the Attorney General is dangerous, totalitarian and ought to be placed in the drawer immediately.

“The press has a legally-based role of being guard dog. It has laws that protect this role, among others a legally-based protection of sources and a constitutionally founded freedom of expression.

“Even if leaks can be unfortunate, we have long traditions for how it goes when regimes with law in hand can tame the media and decide what should be written in the newpapers.”

Google translation:

Will open to punish the media for leaks
02/15/2012

Public Prosecutor Tor Aksel Busch for all 22 July leaks

Now he opens that the media can be prosecuted for passing on information gained through the other has committed a criminal breach of confidentiality.

In response to Media Legal Committee’s report Busch writes that “it is not necessarily obvious” that the media’s dissemination of information they have gained access to the breach of confidentiality, should be penalty-free….

Original article: Vil åpne for å straffe mediene for lekkasjer
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Google translation:

Source Hunting and press criminal
February 15, 2012

Attorney General Tor-Aksel Busch will punish the media who publish leaks. Is it not easier to impose state censorship first as last…?

Original article: Kildejakt og pressestraff
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Related: Tor-Aksel Busch on Wikipedia (in Norwegian)

Related: Per Edgar Kokkvold on Wikipedia

Utøya survivor strongly defends freedom of speech, press freedom

In an opinion piece in Aftenposten, Utøya survivor, Bjørn Ihler, delivers a strong defense of freedom of speech and press freedom, and argues that the 7/22 victim support group promotes a form of censorship that is not supported by all the victims of the 7/22 attacks.

Ihler criticizes the support group for frequently going to the media and requesting that the press not write about leaked material from the police investigation. Ihler says than rather than to criticize the press for doing its job, critique of leaked information from the police investigation should be directed towards those responsible for the leaks.

“The mandate of the support group is to support those affected by the events on 7/22. To censor the media is, as I see it, not within this [mandate]. Believe me, I know how it feels to have to face the front pages of the newspapers, I was actually there too. But for me the interests of society stands before my own. The society needs more openness. Particulary in a case like this, where not just we who are directly involved, but society as a whole was under attack,” Ihler writes.

Ihler, who himself studies and works with theater, also reacts that spokespersons for survivors are against the performance of a play in Denmark based on Breivik’s manifest. In Ihler’s opinion, art should be free, and it is misguided to attempt to prevent the theater to perform what they wish. Ihler says that the theater wishes to point to the madness in the manifest in order to prevent something similar from happening again.

According to Ihler, those directly affected by 7/22 and the nation as a whole are at fork in the road, and many are already heading in the wrong direction, away from democracy and openess. Ihler writes that if one truly wants more openness and democracy, one has to embrace these values fully. If one, on the other hand, wishes to censor the media, theater and the arts, one should say so.

Ihler writes that, even if he were to leave the 7/22 support group, the public would probably still perceive someone speaking on behalf of the group as representating all of the victims. So at the very least, it should be made clear that not everyone affected by 7/22 shares the same views, he says.

The leader of the 7/22 support group, Trond Henry Blattmann, was formerly leader of the Vest-Agder Labor Party and was political advisor for the Labor coalition government from 2009 to 2011.

“It is completely impossible for all members to be in agreement, the world is not so simple. The support group does not wish to be closed, but we have clear views about what we think about the publication of leaks and photos,” said Blattmann in response to Ihler in an interview with Aftenposten.

Google translation:

My frustration

If you wish, as others apparently want to censor the media, theaters and art, you could say that. But they can not put it on my behalf….

Original article: Min frustrasjon
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Google translation:

“We disagree with the filming in court”

Trond Blatt Mann believes the boundaries being pushed on all the time. The head of the national support group does not agree with Bjorn Ihler that group stands for closed….

Original article: - Vi er uenige i filmingen i retten
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Related post: Leader of 7/22 support group negative to Breivik interview

Related post: Justice Department considers law change that will make Breivik book illegal

Photos and information from Breivik’s arrest and his movements on 7/22

On Friday, Norwegian media published multiple photos of Breivik originating from the police investigation.

– Breivik in police custody on Utøya –

Some of the photos show a visibly exhausted Breivik sitting in chair inside one of the buildings on Utøya shortly after his arrest. Breivik did not wish to be photographed at the time, and is looking away from the camera. The police took the pictures to document what Breivik was wearing during the attacks.

Breivik agreed to be questioned without a lawyer and the police kept Breivik at Utøya until late in the night for questioning. Three members from the Section for Special Operations in the Organized Crime Unit (Seksjon for organisert kriminalitet) of the Oslo police conducted the questioning. Just before 2 a.m., Breivik was evaluated by a doctor. According to VG’s sources, the doctor was of the opinion that Breivik seemed shaken, his eyes looked tired, and his pupils were dilated. The doctor thought his condition could be caused by psychological stress or by the use of Efedrin.

Google translation:

Breivik refused to be photographed by police
03/02/12

This is the police’s own images of Behring Anders Breivik (32) after his arrest on Utøya.

According to information VG has received access to ga Breivik clear message that he did not want to be photographed after the shooting massacre. The police took still pictures in order to secure evidence of how he was dressed and equipped under terrorist attack.

Later, police also received a ruling from the Oslo District Court as giving them the right to conduct so-called signaling Breivik, which means that it is secured photo and fingerprints….

Original article: Breivik nektet å bli fotografert av politiet
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– Guns and equipment –

Dagbladet writes that when Breivik was arrested, he carried a Glock 17 pistol and a Ruger Mini 14 Rifle. Runic inscriptions were carved on the gun. Mjollnir (Mjølner), the Old Norse name for Thor’s Hammer, was carved on the Glock; and on the rifle, Gungnir, the Old Norse name of the spear of Odin. According to Norse mythlogy, the spear (Gungnir) hits and penetrates everything at which it is aimed and, like Thor’s hammer, always returns to the thrower’s hand.

In the small van Breivik drove to Utøya, the police found a note apparently written by Breivik himself saying “Costume party 2010/2011 – police officer”. The police also found a shotgun and a bag of metal tire-puncturing devices that could have been used to incapacitate persuing vehicles.

Google translation:

The police found the note in Breivik’s car: “Costume Party 2010/2011 – Sergeant”
02/03/2012

Handwritten note and a loaded shotgun was in the getaway car at Utøya.

In Fiat Dubloen as Anders Breivik Behring drove to the berth where the M / S Thorbjorn was to transport him to Utøya, the police made more seizures after the mass killing her husband was arrested.

Police seized the Spanish rider, which could be used to delay the police cars. Spanish riders can be thrown out on the road, after which they puncture the tires of cars that are running….

According to mythology, is this spear through it all and hit what he aims at. Like Thor’s hammer must return to the shooter’s hand….

Original article: Politiet fant lapp i Breiviks bil: “Kostymeparty 2010/2011 – Politibetjent”
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– Breivik reconnoitering shortly before attacks –

The Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) has published surveillance camera photos of Breivik reconnoitering in Oslo around lunchtime on 7/22, a couple of hours before he carried out the attacks. The photos show Breivik walking past the governmental offices in downtown Oslo carrying documents and holding an umbrella. According to NRK, Breivik has explained in police questioning that he surveyed the area about eight times in the three years leading up to the attacks, trying to establish structural weaknesses in the buildings. Breivik also explained to police that he felt relatively sure that his reconnaissance missions would not draw attention since Norwegian police considered it unlikely that anyone other than Islamists would attack targets in Norway.

Google translation:

Here is Breivik on inspection of the Government buildings
02/03/2012

It shows still images taken from surveillance videos in the middle of Oslo city center.

According to NRK understand, the pictures taken at lunchtime Friday, a few hours before the bomb explosion in its ministries.

With an umbrella and a black briefcase under his left arm goes Breivik seemingly undisturbed through the area where he is soon to blow up a bomb.

Police have previously declined to comment on whether the terror accused the Norwegian was in such a reconnaissance mission before the attack….

Original article: Her er Breivik på befaring i Regjeringskvartalet

Lena Andreassen is afraid contents of police interview will become known

Lena Andreassen, who was reported missing by Interpol on September 29, 2011, and kept captive for almost a month by former members of the English Defence League, says in an interview with Dagbladet that she is afraid of the consequences if what she has said in police interviews becomes publicly known. Dagbladet writes that Andreassen knows that a Norwegian news organisation is sitting on the information and intends to publicize it.

Andreassen, who says she kicked Behring Breivik out of the Norwegian Defence League (NDL), took control of the newly formed NDL in March of last year, a couple of weeks after the head of the Norwegian PST (Police Security Service), Janne Kristiansen, first informed the public of the NDL in the PST’s annual press briefing. The original founder of the Norwegian Defense League was forced to step down at this time. Lena Andreassen is no longer the leader of the NDL.

Today, the Oslo Police called in Norwegian newspaper editors for a special meeting asking the press to show restraint in publishing leaked reports from the police.

Google translation:

Scared for her life for detailed Breivik-questioning astray
12.01.2012

Lena Andreassen, former head of the Norwegian Defence League, has questioned admitted contact with Anders Behring Breivik.

Andreassen fear for her and the family’s security after the interview she gave police in terror case has been leaked to the press. She says she has been informed that the information from the interview will be published in a Norwegian media.

“I have explained to me including the Norwegian and British extremists, and fear what they can do if this leaks out,” said Lena Andreassen told Dagbladet….

Breivik connection

In questioning the former head of the Norwegian Defense League admitted contact with Anders Behring Breivik.

“We had some contact, but only on the net,” says Andreassen told Dagbladet….

Breivik was the spring of 2011 threw out the organization Norwegian Defense League because he was too extreme. Andreassen led the organization, but she has now withdrawn….

Original article: Livredd for detaljert Breivik-avhør på avveie

Related post: Police call for meeting with news editors after publication of Utøya ferry story

Police call for meeting with news editors after publication of Utøya ferry story

Editors of the major Norwegian news organisations have been called in for a meeting with the Oslo police to discuss the many leaks from the investigation of the 7/22 attacks, reports Journalisten.no.

The meeting, held by the Oslo police, comes a few days after Aftenposten revealed what happened on board the Utøya ferry where, according to witness accounts, leader of the Labor Youth Organisation (AUF), Eskil Pedersen, and a small group of Labor Youth members, including Johannes Dalen Giske, the nephew of the Minister of Business, Trond Giske, took the Utøya ferry and sailed far away from the island rather than to help their comrades escape from the island.

The police claim that several witnesses have been increasingly reluctant to be interviewed due to the many leaks. Some have even expressed doubts regarding whether they will sign and approve existing interviews according to Roar Hanssen, Communication Adviser of the Oslo Police.

News editors are not very positive about the meeting. News director, Jan Ove Årsæther, from TV2 says to Journalisten that they usually do not accept invitations to such meetings, but will do so this time and listen to what the police have to say. Editor-in-chief, John Arne Markussen, of the newspaper Dagbladet says that, in his view, it is the police who are responsible for the leaks, but that Dagbladet will attempt to have someone attending the meeting.

Google translation:

The police will meet the editors Friday
12/01/2012

Do the leaks about 22 July makes witnesses reluctant to ask for questioning.

On Friday morning, Norwegian editors invited to dialogue with the Oslo police about the numerous leaks from documents and interviews in the investigation of Anders Behring Breivik’s terrorist attacks….

Original article: Politiet vil møte redaktørene fredag

Related post: Newspaper reveals what happened on board the Utøya ferry